/ 


PROCEEDINGS 


OF  THE 


STATE  CONVENTION  OF  MECHANICS, 


fi 

■ 


HELD  AT  UTICA,  AUGUST  21st— 22d,  1834,  , 


I . . uJH . . 

For  tho  purpose  of  taiiic?  into  consideration.  the  Effect  produced  on  the  Various 


mechanical  Trades  by  the  Present  System  of 


STATE  PRISON  DISCIPLINE. 


(This  report  was  first  inserted  in  the  “Mechanics’  Magazine  and  Register  of  Inventions  and  Improve- 
ients,”  for  the  week  ending  August  30,  by  request  of  the  Committee,  but  as  a  large  number  will  be  required  for  dis- 
4iibution,  it  has  been  deemed  expedient  by  them  to  issue  it  in  its  present  form. — New-York,  September  6,  1834.] 
ill;  \  The  Mechanics'  Magazine  and  Register  of  Inventions  and  Improvements  is  published  by  the  Proprietors,  D.  K.  Minor  and 
!.  J.  E.  Challis,  atNo.35.Wall  street,  New-York  :  in  weekly  sheets  of  16  pages,  at  61  cents — in  monthly  parts  of  64  pages,  at  31£ 
jents — in  volumes  of  384  pages,  in  cloth  boards,  at  $1.75— or  at  $3  per  annum,  in  advance.— John  Knight,  (formerly  proprietor 
fj'qf  the  London  Mechanics’  Magazine,)  Editor. 


.NEW-YORK  : 

PRINTED  AT  THE  OFFICE  OF  THE  MECHANICS’  MAGAZINE, 
No.  35  WALL-STREET, 

BY  ORDER  OF  THE  EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE. 


MDCC  GXXX I V. 


f 


The  following  encomiums  on  the  Mechanics’  Maga¬ 
zine  and  Register  of  Inventions  and  Improvements, 
are  selected,  from  many  others,  from  newspapers  publish¬ 
ed  in  every  section  of  the  Union : 

The  third  number  of  this  periodical,  published  in  New- 
York,  by  D.  K.  Minor,  has  been  received.  This  may  he 
considered  a  specimen  number  of  a  very  useful  and  inter¬ 
esting  work,  and  may  be  ezamined  at  this  office, — Exeter 
News  Letter. 

It  can  be  taken  in  monthly  numbers,  or  in  weekly  sheets, 
at  the  option  of  subscribers.  Besides  being  a  register  of 
all  inventions  and  improvements  in  the  mechanic  arts,  it 
contains  a  great  variety  of  general  Information,  useful  to 
persons  in  all  the  avocations  of  life. — Louisville  paper. 

It  is  a  valuable  compend  of  that  species  of  information 
which  we  should  suppose  the  enterprise  and  inventive 
genius  of  our  countrymen  require,  giving  as  it  does,  in  a 
concise  and  familiar  shape,  an  account  of  what  others  are 
doing  and  have  discovered  or  invented ;  inciting  to  emula¬ 
tion,  and  at  the  same  time  furnishing  useful  hints  for  the 
prosecution  of  researches  already  begun,  if  not  for  further 
discoveries  and  inventions,  calculated  to  extend  the  bounds 
of  human  knowledge. — Albany  Daily  Argus. 

The  Magazine  is  well  worthy  the  patronage  of  every  me¬ 
chanic,  and  should  be  taken  by  every  scientific  and  in¬ 
genious  man. — Hartford  Times. 

There  is  no  publication  in  our  country  calculated  better 
4o  serve  the  interests  of  practical  men,  than  the  work  be¬ 
fore  us. — Nantucket  Inquirer. 

To  gratify  the  thirst  for  knowledge  evinced  by  the  me¬ 
chanics  of" the  United  States  the  publication  was  udertaken, 
and  surely  any  effort  calculated  to  advance  a  profes¬ 
sion  which  has  given  birth  to  a  Fulton,  a  Watt,  a  Whitney, 
a  Franklin,  an  Arkwright,  and  other  bright  names,  should 
meet  with  encouragement.— Georgian. 

We  look  upon  this  periodical  as  the  best  of  its  kind  our 
country  affords.  To  practical  mechanics  it  particularly 
recommends  itself,  as  embodying  a  great  mass  of  informa- 
lion  directly  bearing  on  their  employments  and  interests. 
The  scientific  man  will  find  in  its  pages  essays  and  re¬ 
marks  well  adapted  to  his  pursuits,  and  the  general  reader 
cannot  fail  to  peruse  its  contents  with  increasing  gratifica¬ 
tion,  as  affording  him  a  continued  supply  of  interesting  and 
Bseful  instruction.  The  best  support  of  our  institutions 
and  government  is  knowledge  diffused  among  the  people, 
and  every  effort  which  tends  to  promote  this  end  should 
have  encouragement — the  publication  belore  us  being  cal¬ 
culated  in  an  eminent  degree  to  serve  so  high  an  object, 
possesses  ajust  claim  to  our  patronage.— Salem  Gazette. 

It  is  atored  with  representations  and  descriptions  of  im¬ 
provements  in  machinery,  and  of  newly  invented  articles, 
together  with  information  valuable  to  every  class  of  citi¬ 
zens.—  U  S.  Gazette,  Philadelphia. 

This  is  truly  an  excellent  Magazine,  and  we  take  plea¬ 
sure  in  commending  it  to  the  public,  especially  to  that  class 
of  community  for  whom  it  is  particularly  intended.  It 
should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  mechanic,  and  if  an  indi¬ 
vidual  cannot  afford  to  take  it  alone,  let  him  associate  him¬ 
self  with  others  and  procure  it ;  and  if  attentively  read,  we 
believe  no  intelligent  man  will  consider  his  money  idly 
spent  in  its  procurement. — Schenectady  Gazette. 

The  work  needs  only  to  become  known  to  insure  it  a 
very  extensive  circulation.  It  certainly  cannot  fail  to  be. 
highly  interesting  and  useful  to  the  numerous  class  of  per¬ 
sons  for  whom  it  is  particularly  designed.— Paterson  In¬ 
telligencer. 

It  forms  a  truly  valuable  repository,  alike  suitable  to  the 
drawing  room  and  to  the  cottage. — Watertown  Register. 

Every  mechanic  who  wishes  to  keep  pace  with  the  im¬ 
provement  of  the  age,  to  avail  himself  of  the  aid  which  sci¬ 
ence  is  constantly  bringing  to  art,  should  subscribe  for  the 
Mechanics’  Magazine. — Washington  Spy. 

We  wish  we  could  persuade  our  young  operatives — up¬ 
on  whose  intelligence  and  virtue  so  much  depends — to  sub¬ 
stitute  the  substantial  fare  which  this  work  affords,  for  the 
trash  which  many  of  them  are  too  eager  to  devour. — N. 
J.  Journal. 

A  rapid  glance  at  its  contents  discovers  that  it  contains 
the  same  judicious  preparation  of  materials  that  has  hither¬ 
to  distinguished  the  publication.  There  are  a  number  of 
articles  essentially  valuable  from  the  solid  information 


f 


embodied  in  them,  and  others  again  that  will  recommend 
themselves  at  once  to  the  les*  severe  reader,  who  always 
looks  ior  some  entertainment  to  be  mingled  with  instru^ 
tion  — N.  Y.  American. 

The  theoretical  and  practical  mechanic  will  find  a  mine 
of  useful  information  in  these  pages. — Mercantile  Sf  Advo 
cate,  N.  Y. 

We  do  not  know  when  we  have  perused  a  more  useffil 
and  interesting  work. — Pennsylvania  Intelligencer. 

Very  few  mechanics  are  so  far  advanced  as  not  to  be  de¬ 
lighted  and  surprised  with  each  successive  number  of 
their  magazine. — Pulaski  Banner. 

Practical  mechanics,  whose  interests  the  Magazine  is 
especially  intended  to  promote,  will  find  it  well  worthy  of 
their  attention. — Washington  County  Post. 

It.  contains  a  large  quantity  of  instructive  and  interesting 
matter,  anu,  like  all  the  former  numbers,  is  especially  wor¬ 
thy  the  attention  of  mechanics,  artisaris,  and  scientific  mea 
— Philadelphia  Inquirer.  . 

It  is  a  work  of  general  interest  to  society  at  large,  and 
to  those  interested  in  mechanical  science  and  discoveries, 
in  particular ;  and  what  no  skilful  mechanic  ought  to  W 
without. — Morning  Post . 

It  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  and  interesting  periodicals 
with  which  we  are  acquainted,  and  may  be  read  with 
equal  pleasure  and  advantage  by  the  man  of  science  and 
the  practical  mechanic. — Petersburg  Herald. 

This  is  a  work  of  merit,  and  deserves  the  patronage  of 
all  practical  mechanics :  most,  if  not  all  of  them,  can  afford 
it,  the  price  being  only  three  dollars  a  year. — Virginia  Re¬ 
publican. 

We  should  be  gratified  to  find  it  introduced  into  the  1 
brary  of  every  mechanic,  and  are  sure  it  would  fully  com¬ 
pensate  for  the  trifling  expense.  The  work  has  thus  fae 
been  stereotyped,  and  the  publisher  will  thus  be  enabled 
to  furnish  any  number  of  setts  that  may  be  called  for,  from 
the  commencement  of  the  work. — Oswego  Palladium.  j l 

This  ia  altogether  one  of  the  most  valuable  periodicals  I 
that  ever  appeared  in  the  country  ;  and  there  are  few,  if  I 
any, that  would  repay  their  perusal  with  equal  advantage.  I 
— Ashtabula  Gazette.  I 

No  respectable  mechanic  who  feels  the  least  interest  m ' 
the  manifold  improvements  of  the  age,  should  be  without 
this,  or  some  similar.publication. — Susquehannah  Register. 

It  ought  to  find  its  way  into  the  house  of  every  artizan, 
and  no  mechanic  who  desires  to  keep  pace  with  the  vari¬ 
ous  improvements -of  the  day,  will  be  without  it. — Geneva 
Whig. 

There  is  no  periodical  in  this  country  which  more  de- ' 
serves  the  patronage  of  the  mechanic  than  this,  and  which 
will  better  repay  him  for  the  expense  incurred  and  the 
time  spent  in  its  perusal. — Elmyra  Gazette.  j 

It  contains  information  on  alino  t  every  subject  connect^ 
ed  with  mechanics,  and  a  register  of  inventions  and  irol 
provements. — Montreal  Gazette. 

The  selections  appear  to  be  judiciously  made,  and  cal 
culated  to  be  very  useful  to  that  intersting  portion  of  oui  ■ 
fellow  citizens  for  whose  special  benefit  it  is  intended  . 
While  to  the  inquisitive  reader,  it  will  also  be  a  source  o  r 
much  gratification  to  witness  the  progress  of  human  inven  . 
tion  and  knowledge.  This  Magazine  is  worthy  of  ever] 
encouragement,  and  we  wish  the  enterprising  editor  sue  > 
cess.  His  work  will  prove  a  powerful  auxiliary  to  th< 
“American  System,”  by  improving  American  artists  anc 
mechanicians. 

Protective  laws  to  guard  them  from  the  influx  of  de 
pressed  labor,  and  a  republication  of  the  valuable  improve 
ments  suited  to  their  various  professions,  will  greatly  tend 
to  give  a  spur  to  their  industry,  and  keep  thcnfcvhere  they 
now  are,  and  ought  always  to  be,  namely,  among  the  most 
useful  and  respectable  of  their  fellow-citizens— N.  York 
Mercantile  Advertiser. 

To  say  merely  that  it  is  valuable,  would  be  no  praise, 
No  mechanic — no  family,  should  be  without  it. — Westfield 
Engle. 

Such  a  work  has  long  been  needed  by  our  mechanics, 
whose'  inventive  genius,  almost  unaided  by  science,  has 
outstripped,  if  possible,  inventive  Germany,  or  the  scarcelj 
less  ingenious  England:  a  work  in  which  the  growing' 
genius  of  our  country  may  find  food  for  its  nourishment.— f 
Hartford  Mercury. 


) 


PROCEEDINGS 


OF  THE 

STATE  CONVENTION  OF  MECHANICS, 

Held  at  Utica ,  August  21 — 22, 1834,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  into  consideration  the  Effect 
produced  on  the  Various  Mechanical  Trades  by  the  Present  System  of  State  Prison 
Discipline. 


The  Convention  of  Mechanics,  on  the  sub¬ 
ject  of  State  Prison  Monopoly,  assembled  at 
the  Court  House  in  Utica,  on  Wednesday 
morning,  August  20th,  1834,  when  John 
Meads,  of  Albany,  was  chosen  President  pro 
tern.,  and  Robert  Taylor,  of  New-York, 
and  J.  O.  Comstock,  of  Schenectady,  Secre¬ 
taries  pro  tem.  It  was  then 

Resolved,  That  the  credentials  of  dele¬ 
gates  be  now  presented  and  called,  which  be¬ 
ing  done,  ninety  delegates  answered  to  their 
names. 

It  was  then,  on  motion  of  Mr.  J.|P.  Simp¬ 
son, 

Resolved,  That  a  committee,  to  consist  fo 
one  delegate  from  each  county  represented 
in  the  Convention,  be  appointed  to  select  and 
nominate  a  President,  two  Vice-Presidents, 
and  two  Secretaries,  as  permanent  officers  of 
this  Convention,  and  that  said  committee  be 
^instructed  to  report  at  the  opening  of  the 
Convention  this  afternoon.  Whereupon  the 
following  gentlemen  were  appointed  said 
committee  :  Austin  Baldwin,  David  Ander¬ 
son,  Alexander  Gray,  R.  M.  Carrington,  Jo. 

I  seph  Stillman,  W.  E.  Lathrop,  John  Rich- 
[  ardson,  Warren  Hecox,  Earl  D.  King,  Ru- 
Idolph  Snyder,  Ira  Tillotson,  Francis  Col- 
I  lingwood,  Lewis  S.  Ayres,  Farnham  White. 

The  Convention,  then  adjourned  to  meet  at 
1 2  o’clock,  P.M. 

[  _  AFTERNOON  SESSION. 

L  f"  August  20,  1834. 

Ifc!  The  committee  appointed  to  nominate 
P permanent  officers,  reported  the  following, 
viz.  : 

Rudolph  Snyder,  of  Utica,  President ; 
Anson  Baker,  of  New-York,  and  Frede¬ 
rick  Starr,  of  Monroe  county,  Vice-Presi¬ 
dents  ;  Robert  Taylor,  of  New-York,  and 
Richard  Hogarth,  of  Ontario  county,  Se¬ 
cretaries. 

On  motion,  the  report  was  accepted,  and 
these  gentlemen  being  unanimously  elected, 
took  their  seats. 

A  letter  was  then  read,  addressed  to  the 
President  of  the  Convention  by  B.  Birdsall, 
of  the  New-York  delegation,  who  could  not 


attend,  which  was  ordered  to  be  placed  on 
the  minutes  of  this  Convention.* 

On  motion,  the  Central  Corresponding 
Committee  of  Oneida  county  were  invited 
to  take  a  seat  in  this  Convention,  and  a  com¬ 
mittee  of  two,  Mr.  King  and  Mr.  Russ,  was 
appointed  to  wait  on  them  and  inform  them 
of  the  resolution. 

A  communication  from  Mr.  Waydell  was 
read,  and,  on  motion  by  him,  laid  on  the 
table  for  further  consideration. 

Mr.  Baldwin  offered  the  following  resolu¬ 
tion,  which  was  adopted  : 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  ten  be  ap¬ 
pointed  to  draft  an  Address  and  Resolutions 
setting  forth  the  views  of  the  Mechanics  of 
this  State  with  regard  to  the  existing  State 
Prison  Monopoly.  The  resolution  being 
adopted,  the  following  gentlemen  were  ap¬ 
pointed  to  constitute  the  committee,  viz.  : 
Robert  Taylor,  Richard  Hogarth,  Edward 
Mead,  John  Mead,  Nathan  D.  Sherwood, 
Arden  Seymour,  D.  K.  Minor,  J.  O.  Com¬ 
stock,  Bill  Colby,  John  Richardson. 

Mr.  Elbert  J.  Willet,  a  delegate  from  Lan- 
singburgh,  presented  his  credentials  and 
took  his  seat. 

A  communication  was  received  from  the 
Utica  Mechanics’  Association,  tendering  to 
the  members  of  the  State  Convention  of 
Mechanics  the  use  of  their  reading  room, 
and  such  other  attentions  as  may  be  deemed 
necessary  and  proper. 

The  Committee  on  Address  and  Resolu¬ 
tions  retired,  whereupon  Austin  Baldwin 
was  appointed  to  act  as  Secretary  until  their 
return. 

evening  session. 

August  20,  1834.  1 

The  Convention  having  been  called  to 
order,  Mr.  T.  Thompson,  of  Trumansburgh, 
presented  his  credentials  and  took  his  seat. 
Mr.  Thompson  then  presented  two  resolu¬ 
tions,  passed  at  the  meeting  by  which  he 

*  This  letter  was  either  not  handed  to  the  Committee  of 
Publication,  or  has  been  mislaid ;  and  therelbre  is  not 
published 


2 


Proceedings  of  the  State  Convention  of  Mechanics  held  at  TJtica. 


was  appointed,  which  were  read  and  laid  on 

the  table. 

Mr.  Abner  Cutler  was  admitted  as  a  mem- 
ber  from  Buffalo. 


MORNING  SESSION. 

August  21,  1834. 

The  President  took  the  chair,  when  the 
roll  was  called  and  the  minutes  of  the  pre¬ 
ceding  evening  read.  A  letter  was  received 
and  read  from  the  absent  members  of  the 
Buffalo  delegation,  which  was,  on  motion, 
referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Address 
and  Resolutions. 

The  credentials  of  the  Troy  delegation 
were  read,  whereupon  they  were  admitted 
and  took  their  seats. 

On  motion,  Resolved,  That  a  Central 
Committee  be  appointed  at  Utica,  as  a  Com¬ 
mittee  of  Correspondence.  The  following 
gentlemen  were  appointed  to  constitute  that 
committee,  viz.  :  Rudolph  Snyder,  Ephraim 
Hart,  E.  Wells,  Harvey  Barnard,  Augustus 
Hurlburt,  and  Riley  Rogers. 

On  motion,  it  was  then  Resolved,  That 
the  following  gentlemen  be  appointed  to  act 
as  a  Corresponding  Committee  for  each 
county,  viz.  : 

Kings — Samuel  S.  Powell,  David  Ander¬ 
son,  Brooklyn. 

New. York — Joseph  P.  Simpson,  Anson 
Baker. 

Westchester — Frs.  Kain,  Stephen  Ward. 

Albany — John  Meads,  Samuel  S.  Steel. 

Rensselaer— E.  J.  Willet,  Lansingburgh  ; 
Lyman  Garfield,  Troy. 

il  Schoharie — J.  S.  Bonney,  Austin  Knowles. 

Niagara — Elliott  Lewis,  Lockport. 

Dutchess — Jas.  Mills,  Poughkeepsie;  A. 
A5  Comstock,  Stamford. 

Schenectady — Alfred  Stillman,  John  Allen. 

Saratoga — Nathan  D.  Sherwood,  Water¬ 
ford  ;  Moses  Williams,  Ballston  Springs. 

Washington — John  Adams,  Salem  ;  John 
J.  Horton,  Union  Village. 

Oneida . — Arden  Seymour,  Rome;  Thomas 
Williams,  Vernon. 

Cortland — Harman  J.  Short,  David  Coy, 


Homer  Village. 

Steuben — James  May,  Thomas  Thompson, 


Bath. 

Warren  —  Sheldon  Benedict,  John  A. 
Ferris,  Glens  Falls. 

Tioga — Gideon  O.  Chase,  East  Jury  Dis¬ 
trict;  Wm.  R.  Judson,  West  Jury  District. 
Tompkins — Otis  Eddy,  Almanzer  Tufts, 

Ithaca. 

Cayuga — Daniel  Hewson,  Curtis  Stevens, 


•V  , 

J 


Auburn. 

Onondaga — Edward 
W,  Parsons,  Syracuse. 

W.  Beals, 


B.  Wicks,  George 

E.  D.  Efhcr,  Buffalo* 


Ontario — Richard  Hogarth,  Geneva,  Earl  \ 
D.  King,  Canandaigua. 

Chenango — Truman  Enos,  Morris  ;  L.  R. 
Hopson,  Sherburne. 

Broome — Lewis  Pratt,  E.  W.  Dewey, 
Binghamton. 

Oswego — Wm.  C.  Rogers,  Elisha  Car¬ 
rington,  Oswego. 

Yates — A.  H.  Bennet,  J.  F.  Terrill,  Pen 
Yan. 

Seneca — Daniel  Pomeroy,  Ovid  ;  Henry 
S.  Lysk,  Waterloo. 

Wayne — Erastus  Burt,  Stephen  Dunwell, 
Newark. 

Genesee — Chauncey  Kirkham,  Batavia  ; 
Newman  Ferris,  Leroy. 

Livingston — J.  B.  Hall,  Samuel  Gardner, 

Geneseo. 

Monroe — John  Watts,  Wm.  E.  Lathrop, 
Rochester. 

Orleans — Wm.  Wood,  Albion  ;  Wm.  P. 
Hopkins,  Medina. 

Otsego — J.  R.  Worthington,  Cooperstown. 
Herkimer — Ezekiel  Morris,  Wm.  Lomis, 
Little  Falls. 

Resolved,  That  the  Central  Committee  be 
requested  to  fill  all  vacancies  in  the  several 
county  committees. 

The  Committee  on  Address  and  Resolu¬ 
tions  made  their  report,  which  was  accepted. 

The  Address  and  Resolutions  being  read,  were 
unanimously  approved  and  adopted. 

Resolved,  That  a  Finance  Committee  be  ' 
appointed  to  provide  means  to  defray  the 
expense  of  publication ;  whereupon  a  com-  . 
mittee  was  appointed. 

Adjourned  till  2  o’clock. 

AFTERNOON  SESSION.  i 


August  21,  1834. 

The  finance  committee  reported  that  each 
member  of  the  Convention  pay  one  dollar  to 
defray  expenses.  The  report  was  unani¬ 
mously  adopted. 

It  was  then 

Resolved,  That  the  President  of  this  Con- 
vention  be  Treasurer  of  the  same. 

Resolved,  That  the  Central  Committee  be 
instructed  to  have  printed  any  number  that 
they  may  deem  proper  of  the  Address  and 
Resolutions,  not  less  than  5000  copies. 

Resolved,  That  the  several  corresponding 
committees  of  counties  that  have  been  ap¬ 
pointed,  be  requested  to  take  measures  to 
ensure  the  appointment  of  corresponding 
committees  in  counties  adjacent  to  theirs,  as 
soon  as  possible  after  their  return  home,  and 
have  their  names  sent  on  to  the  Central  Com¬ 
mittee  at  Utica. 

Resolved,  That  the  names  and  occupations 
of  the  delegates  present  be  annexed  to  the 
Address  and  Resolutions. 


Proceedings  of  the  State  Convention  of  Mechanics  held  at  Utica.  3 


Resolved,  That  the  resolutions  lying  on 
the  table,  not  acted  upon,  be  considered  as 
withdrawn. 

Resolved,  That  the  Central  Committee 
be  instructed  to  furnish  to  each  member 
of  the  next  Legislature,  and  the  Governor,  a 
copy  of  the  proceedings  of  this  Convention. 

Resolved,  That  the  communication  of 
Judge  Morse,  and  all  other  communications, 
be  referred  to  the  Central  Committee. 

A  vote  of  thanks  was  then  passed  to  the 
Select  Committee  of  the  Assembly  of  this 
State,  of  which  the  Hon.  Charles  Humphrey 
was  chairman  :  also,  to  the  Mechanics’ 
Association  of  Utica,  for  the  tender  of  the 
use  of  their  Reading  Room  and  other  civili¬ 
ties  to  members  of  the  Convention  during 
their  stay  in  the  city ;  and  also,  to  the  venera¬ 
ble  President  and  other  officers,  for  the  satis¬ 
factory  manner  in  which  they  have  per¬ 
formed  the  duties  devolving  on  them. 


The  convention  then  adjourned  at  4  P.  M. 
(Signed,) 

Rudolph  Snyder,  President. 
Anson  Baker, 

Frederick  Starr, 

Robert  Taylor, 

R.  Hogarth, 

August  21,  1834. 


A 


Vice  Pres’ts. 


Secretaries. 


ADDRESS  AND  RESOLUTIONS. 

The  Convention  of  Delegates,  from  the 
several  counties  of  the  State  of  New- York, 
assembled  at  Utica,  on  the  20th  day  of  Au¬ 
gust,  1834,  have  candidly,  deliberately,  and 
extensively  examined  the  present  State  Pri¬ 
son  system  of  this  State,  and  submit  the  fol¬ 
lowing  as  the  result  of  their  investigation  : 

The  system  of  employing  the  convicts  in 
our  prisons,  at  mechanical  branches,  (as  at 
present  pursued  in  this  and  several  other 
States,)  does  not  accomplish  either  of  the 
objects  had  in  view  by  those  who  established 
and  approved  of  our  criminal  code.  Laws 
were  established  for  the  ‘punishment  and  pre¬ 
vention  of  crime,  and  the  reformation  of  the 
criminal ;  when,  therefore,  the  property  of 
individuals  has  been  plundered — when  the 
incendiary  has  fired  the  building  of  his 
neighbor — when  the  seducer  and  the  ravish- 
er  have  committed  crimes  disgraceful  and 
disgusting  to  human  nature — and  when  the 
ruffian  has  deprived  his  fellow-being  of  life — 
justice  demands  that  the  punishment  of  per¬ 
sons  committing  such  offences  should  be 
commensurate  with  their  crimes.  The  safe¬ 
ty  and  happiness  of  the  community  require 
that  the  punishment  should  be  of  such  a  na¬ 
ture  as  to  deter  released  criminals,  and 
•there,  from  committing  crime.  Does  the 


present  prison  system  of  this  State  accom¬ 
plish  either  of  those  objects?  We  answer 
No  !  and  will  now  endeavor  to  prove,  by 
reason,  and  the  testimony  of  competent  wit¬ 
nesses,  that  the  present  system  does  not  in¬ 
flict  sufficient  punishment — has  but  little  ten¬ 
dency  to  prevent  crime,  or  reform  criminals 
— that  it  imposes  an  unjust  and  pernicious 
tax  on  mechanics,  and  is  degrading  to  their 
character. 

1 .  The  present  Prison  System  of  this  State 
does  not  inflict  sufficient  punishment  for  crime . 
Imagine  a  case,  (and  there  are  many  such,) 
of  a  man  whose  debauchery  and  crime  have 
enfeebled  his  body^  impaired  his  constitution, 
and  prostrated  the  faculties  of  his  mind,  un¬ 
til  he  is  unfit  for  business,  and  therefore  pre¬ 
pared  to  drink  the  dregs  of  the  intoxicating 
cup,  and  to  commit  depredations  upon  his 
honest  neighbor.  In  this  stage  of  his  exist¬ 
ence,  the  emaciated,  loathsome,  and  guilty 
wretch  is  apprehended,  committed,  convict¬ 
ed  of  crime,  and  sent  to  the  State  Prison  to 
be  punished.  Now,  fellow-citizens,  prepare 
yourselves  for  the  melancholy,  heart-rending 
tale  of  the  punishment  of  this  being,  who 
has  for  a  series  of  years  stifled  the  convic¬ 
tions  of  conscience,  and  grossly  violated  the 
laws  of  his  God  and  his  country.  Thus  is 
he  punished  :  Arrived  at  prison,  a  physician 
attends  him ;  medicine  is  administered  ;  he 
is  furnished  with  wholesome  food  and  com¬ 
fortable  clothing  ;  by  degrees  he  recovers  ; 
he  learns  a  trade  (perhaps  he  is  released 
before  the  term  for  which  he  was  sentenced 
has  expired,)  and  comes  out  of  prison  a 
sound  man.  Now  we  ask,  during  what  por¬ 
tion  of  the  time  he  was  imprisoned  was  he 
punished  ?  Did  the  physician  punish  him 
by  restoring  him  to  health?  Was  whole¬ 
some  food  and  comfortable  clothing,  (without 
any  anxiety  on  his  part  to  procure  them,)  a 
punishment  to  him  ?  If  so,  would  to  heaven 
all  honest  mechanics  might  be  punished! 
then  they  would  have  (what  they  cannot  al¬ 
ways  procure  by  honest  industry)  a  physi¬ 
cian  when  there  is  need — food  and  clothing 
at  all  times.  Talk  of  punishment  !  Look 
at-the  poor,  honest,  but  unfortunate  debtor  in 
prison  ;  contrast  his  situation  with  that  of  the 
convict  in  your  state  prisons,  and  you  will, 
you  must ,  admit,  that  the  situation  of  the 
debtor  is  far  less  comfortable  than  that  of  the 
criminal.  It  may  be  said  that  an  extraordi¬ 
nary  case  has  been  cited.  We  reply — se¬ 
lect  any  case  you  please,  and  you  cannot 
make  it  appear  that  the  system  is  what  it 
should  be — that  it  is  what  it  pretends  to  be. 
No  !  “  From  a  mistaken  philanthropy,  the 

system  of  our  prison  discipline  has  been  ?o 
mellowed  down,  that  our  prisons  ought  to 
be  now  considered  as  asylums  for  the  uufor 


4 


Proceedings  of  the  State  Convention  of  Mechanics  held  at  Utica. 


tunate,  rather  than  places  of  punishment  for 
the  guilty ;  and  it  may  be  fairly  presumed, 
that,  in  many  cases,  their  inmates  enjoy  what 
they  never  did  before — a  comfortable  home  ; 
and  instances  have  not  been  wanting,  in 
which  those  whose  term  of  service  had  ex. 
pired,  have  committed  new  crimes  for  the 
express  purpose  of  being  able  to  return  to 
these  homes.”  And  it  may  be  safely  as¬ 
serted,  that  the  situation  of  criminals  in  our 
State  prisons  is  no  worse  than  that  of  per¬ 
sons  barely  suspected  of  crime,  or  the  in¬ 
mates  of  our  county  poor-houses,  whose 
only  crime  may  be  poverty  or  disease.  We 
conclude  our  remarks  on  the  punishment  in¬ 
flicted,  with  a  quotation  from  the  Report  of 
the  Hon.  Charles  Humphrey,  made  to  the 
Assembly  of  this  State  at  its  last  session. 
“  It  is  worthy  of  observation,”  says  Mr. 
Humphrey,  “  that  in  most  instances,  both  in 
the  old  world  and  in  the  new,  the  criminal 
codes  have  been  gradually  assuming  a  char¬ 
acter  less  sanguinary,  and  less  severe.  The 
latter  observation  is  undoubtedly  applicable 
to  this  state  ;  and  it  is  a  serious  matter  of  in¬ 
quiry  with  some  of  our  most  enlightened  cit¬ 
izens,  whether  the  indulgence  of  a  supposed 
feeling  of  humanity,  on  the  part  of  many, 
has  not  degenerated  into  a  morbid  sensibility, 
that  would  consult  the  interest  and  well  be¬ 
ing  of  the  criminal,  at  the  expense  of  the 
community  against  whose  rights  he  has  of¬ 
fended.  The  idea  of  coupling  rewards  and 
immunities  with  punishment  has,  in  some  in¬ 
stances,  found  its  way  into  our  statute  books. 
It  is,  in  the  estimation  of  your  committee, 
of  a  doubtful  policy.  It  is  questionable 
whether  every  indulgence  to  a  convict,  be¬ 
yond  a  mere  wholesome  supply  of  his  natu¬ 
ral  wants,  is  not  detracting  so  much  from  the 
efficacy  of  his  punishment.” 

2.  The  present  system  has  but  little  ten¬ 
dency  to  prevent  crime,  or  reform  criminals. 
It  is  a  well  known  fact,  that  the  prisoners 
lay  plans,  (nor  can  they  be  prevented,  while 
suffered  to  work  together,)  and  make  ar¬ 
rangements  for  future  depredations ;  they 
can  at  times  converse  together  ;  they  can, 
and  do,  give  the  significant  look,  the  inform¬ 
ing  nod,  the  knowledge-conveying  wink,  the 
assenting  bow  ;  and  instances  are  not  want¬ 
ing  to  prove,  that  many  agreements  made  in 
prison  have  resulted  in  loss  of  property  to 
honest  men,  after  the  prisoners  have  been 
released.  The  records  of  every  criminal 
court  in  our  State  show  that  crime  is  increas¬ 
ing  ;  and  that  many  persons  are  sentenced 
to  our  State  prisons  who  have  been  inmates 
of  the\  same  prison  before ;  some  of  them 
two,  others  three,  and  others  four  times. 
Talk  of  reform  !  Hear  what  the  Honorable 
Richard  Riker,  Recorder  of  the  city  of 


New-York,  has  said  on  this  subject  :  “  There 
are  not  more  than  two,  out  of  an  hundred ,  of 
well  attested  instances  of  reform.  At  every 
court  of  the  General  and  Special  Sessions 
held  in  our  city,  with  few  exceptions,  seve¬ 
ral  old  offenders,  who  have  been  before  sent  ( 
to  our  penitentiary,  or  State  prison,  or  to  the  I 
State  prison  of  some  other  State,  are  again  | 
tried  and  convicted.”  ( 

Mr.  Humphrey,  in  his  Report,  says,  “  The  | 
fact  may  be  alluded  to,  that  most  of  our  State  i 
prison  convicts  are  originally  dishonest  and  j 
unprincipled  men,  destitute  of  a  sense  of  \ 
moral  rectitude  ;  and  that  therefore  in  many, 
if  not  most  instances,  discharged  prisoners, 
even  if  not  compelled  by  necessity,  will 
from  choice  resume  their  practices  of  de¬ 
predating  upon  society.  This  fact  is  abun¬ 
dantly  proved,  by  the  vast  number  of  instan¬ 
ces  in  which  these  men  are  found  a  second,  * 
and  even  a  third  time,  the  tenants  of  the 
same/ or  of  some  other  prison.” 

3.  The  present  system  imposes  an  unjust  | 
and  enormous  tax  on  mechanics,  and  is  de-  j 
grading  to  their  character.  It  is  said,  that 
none  of  the  citizens  of  the  State  are  taxed 
for  the  support  of  prisoners  :  “  the  prisons 
support  themselves.”  It  is  true,  that  me¬ 
chanics  are  not  called  on  to  pay  money  to 
defray  the  expenses  of  the  prisons ;  but  ar¬ 
ticles  manufactured  in  the  prisons  are  sold 
in  almost  every  city,  town,  and  village,  in 
the  State,  at  prices  from  40  to  60  per  cent, 
below  what  the  honest  mechanic,  who  sup¬ 
ports  himself  and  family,  can  afford  them 
for  ;  and  the  consequence  is,  that  hundreds 
of  mechanics  are  thrown  out  of  employ, 
and,  in  many  cases,  their  families  are  re¬ 
duced  to  beggary.  This  is  no  picture  of 
the  imagination.  No  !  it  is  a  melancholy 
solemn  fact.  The  State  government,  to 
which  we  look  for,  from  which  we  have 
a  right  to  expect,  and  whose  duty  it  is  to  af-  e 
ford,  protection  to  the  interest  of  the  virtu¬ 
ous  and  industrious  mechanic  :  that  govern-  f 
ment,  which,  had  it  acted  justly,  would  have  .* 
acted  according  to  the  truly  republican  max- 
im — “  for  the  greatest  good  to  the  greatest  jl 
number,” — either  from  mistaken  views  of  \  ^ 
economy,  an  unwillingness  to  suspend  the  j 
operation  of  a  favorite  theory,  or  want  of  ! 
that  information  which  experience  and  ob-  I 
servation  have  now  finished,  rather  than  in¬ 
tentional  injustice,  has  compelled  the  mecha¬ 
nics  of  the  State  to  bear  all  the  burthen  of  State 
prison  expenses,  and  suffer  the  loss  of  the 
many  thousands  of  dollars  which  now  go 
into  the  pockets  of  the  hordes  of  State  pri¬ 
son  contractors,  agents,  and  sub-agents. 
Shall  we  be  impudently  told,  that  the  power 
which  should  protect  us  has  a  right  to  de¬ 
stroy  us  ? — that  it  is  just  to  impose  on  me - 


5 


S  Proceedings  of  the  State  Convention  of  Mechanics  held  at  Utica. 

anics  a  prison  system  calculated  to  drive  sede.  Solitary  confinement,  for  a  shorter 
jm  to  desperation,  crime,  and  beggary,  to  period  of  time  than  the  usual  term  of  im- 
oncrate  the  people  from  equal  taxation,  prisonment,  with  an  entire  abandonment  of 
d  t^  preserve  untouched  the  public  trea-  the  practice  of  pardoning  or  reprieving,  is 
ry  7  *  But,  follow-mechanics,  you  not  only  the  plan  which  seems,  in  our  opinion,  the 
ffer  in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view  :  your  best  calculated  to  produce  the  desired  effect, 
aracter  is  degraded.  Many  branches  of  Or,  if  the  labor  system  must  be  continued, 
njiechanical  business  being  carried  on  in  the  which  we  by  no  means  desire,  the  convicts 
pjrisons,  the  moment  a  journeyman  offers  him-  may  be  employed  in  the  construction  of 
sjelf  for  work  in  a  place  where  he  is  not  roads,  canals,  or  other  public  works,  which, 
k|nown,  he  is  subjected  to  “  humiliating  and  while  they  contribute  to  the  general  benefit 
degrading  inquiries  and  comparisons,”  and  of  the  whole  community,  will  not  operate  as 
“  to  a  scrutiny  which  an  honorable  man  an  unjust  and  unequal  tax  upon  a  part.  But 
could  not  be  expected  patiently  to  endure.”  we  will  not  attempt  an  elaborate  view  of  this 
Here  again  we  refer  to  the  able  Report  of  part  of  the  subject ;  the  necessary  limits  of 
Mr.  Humphrey,  in  which  he  says,  “  If  it  this  address  precludes  the  possibility  of  doing 
(tjhe  prison  system)  does  not  actually  break  more  than  thus  briefly  to  allude  to  some  of 
up  the  establishment  of  the  citizen,  it  com-  the  most  prominent  and  feasible  plans  which 
pels  him  to  labor  for  a  bare  subsistence;  and  have  been  proposed. 

it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  if  blighted  pros-  Fellow  Mechanics  of  the  State  of  New- 
p^cts  and  disappointed  hopes  have,  in  the  York,  we  call  on  you  us  men,  as  citizens, 
end,  a  deleterious  effect  upon  the  habits  and  and  as  mechanics,  to  assert,  demand,  and 
morals  of  a  discouraged  and  desponding  maintain  your  rights.  Too  long  have  your 
man.”  Again,  “  State  prison  convicts  are,  usefulness  and  influence  in  society  been 
in  most  instances,  men  destitute  of  capital ;  neglected  ;  too  long  have  you  suffered  under 
if,  therefore,  they  attempt  to  pursue  with-  the  present  unjust,  injuiious,  and  blighting 
out,  the  trade  they  have  acquired  within  the  prison  system.  Arise,  therefore,  in  your 
prison  walls,  it  must  be  in  the  capacity  of  might,  and,  through  the  ballot  boxes,  speak 
journeymen  ;  and  they  must,  consequently,  a  language  not  to  he  misunderstood.  Select 
if  employed  at#  all,  labor  side  by  side  with  men  who,  to  whatever  political  party  they 
honest  and  respectable  mechanics.  When  may  belong,  will  use  their  best  exertions  to 
honest  men  associate  with  rogues,  the  very  destroy  this  Hydra  of  Iniquity ;  men  who, 
connection  reduces  the  character  of  the  for-  while  they  provide  for  the  punishment  and 
mer  down  to  the  standard  of  the  latter ;  it  reformation  of  criminals,  will  at  the  same 
ca«  never  have  the  effect  of  raising  the  re  time  guard  and  secure  the  rights  of  the 
putation  of  the  rogue  to  that  of  the  honest  honest  and  industrious  citizen.  We  are 
man,  in  the  estimation  of  the  world.  Sup-  not  unreasonable  in  our  demands ;  we  ask 
pose  a  respectable  farmer  or  other  citizen  only  for  justice  ;  and  we  are  satisfied  that, 
should  send  his  son  to  some  mechanic  to  when  the  evils  that  result  from  this  system, 
learn  a  trade,  and  on  visiting  him  at  his  work-  and  of  which  we  complain,  are  known,  all 
shop  should  find  him  seated  by  the  side  of  a  classes  of  society  will  see  and  admit  the 
discharged  convict :  might  he  not  justly  com-  justness  of  our  claim,  and  we  shall  obtain 
pMn  ?  Would  an  honorable  minded  man,  un-  redress. 

cj^r  any  circumstances,  consent  that  his  son  We  also  call  especially  upon  the  agricul - 
should  be  subjected  to  the  contaminating  in-  tural  part  of  the  community,  to  step  forward 
fluence  of  such  an  association  ?  His  faith  in  and  aid  us  in  remedying  this  evil.  They 
the  reformation  scheme  must  be  strong  in-  are  alike  interested  with  us  in  sustaining  the 
deed,  who  would  hazard  the  morals  of  his  industrious  mechanics  of  the  country,  who 
son  in  such  company.”  compose,  with  the  farmers,  the  hone  and 

The  contempt  and  degradation  necessary  sinew  of  the  community.  They  are  alike 
and  consequent  on  a  competition  between  dependent  upon  the  mechanic,  as  the  me- 
our  virtuous  citizens  and  condemned  crimi-  chanic  upon  the  farmer.  If,  therefore,  the 
nals,  is  a  subject  we  would  fain  have  passed  mechanics  are  prostrated  by  this,  to  them, 
m  silence ;  but  it  is  the  most  disgusting  ruinous  course  of  measures,  will  not  the 
feature  of  the  system.  If  asked,  what  farmers  be  prostrated  also  ?  If  the  mecha- 
remedy  we  propose  for  the  evils  we  com-  nics  are  driven  to  agricultural  pursuits,  is  it 
plain  of,  we  might  answer,  that  the  evil  once  not  easy  to  perceive  that  the  loss  which  will 
fully  admitted,  the  collective  wisdom  of  our  be  sustained  by  the  farmer,  in  the  reduced 
statesmen  will  easily  provide  that  remedy,  price  of  his  produce,  and  the  diminished 
without  resorting  again  to  any  of  those  san-  value  of  his  real  estate,  will  exceed,  by  an 
guinary  modes  of  punishment  which  the  hundred  fold,  the  paltry  sum  which  he  may 
penitentiary  system  was  intended  to  super-  save  in  the  price  of  articles  manufactured  by 


0 


Proceedings  of  the  State  Convention  of  Mechanics  held  at  Utica. 


state  prison  convicts  ?  Is  it  not,  therefore,  we 
again  repeat,  as  much  for  the  interest  of  the 
farmer,  as  of  the  mechanic,  that  all  improper 
interference  with  regular  business  should  be 
avoided  ?  Wc  think  it  is ;  and  with  this 
belief,  we  confidently  call  upon  every  far¬ 
mer  to  aid  us  in  electing  such  men  as  will 
protect  our  rights  and  their  rights.  To  our 
fellow  citizens  of  other  professions,  we 
would  appeal  in  the  language  of  the  Hon. 
N.  B.  Morse,  judge  of  the  Criminal  Court 
in  Kings  county,  who  says  : 

“  The  rule,  that  *  we  should  do  unto  others 
as  we  would  that  others  should  do  unto  us,’ 
is  one  of  the  soundest  morality;  and  the 
oftener  it  shall  be  inculcated,  and  the  more 
it  shall  be  acted  upon,  the  more  elevated 
and  honorable  will  be  the  tone  of  public 
sentiment. 

With  this  rule  of  moral  honesty  before 
them,  let  the  question  be  put  to  men  of 
wealth,  ease,  and  affluence,  whether  they 
would  like  to  have  the  State  prison  turned 
into  a  school,  where  the  convict  should  be 
taught  the  elegant  accomplishments  of  fash¬ 
ionable  life,  that,  on  his  return  10  society, 
he  may  be  qualified  to  mingle  in  the  drawing 
room  with  their  sons  and  their  daughters, 
and  perchance  to  improve  his  condition  by 
marriage  with  an  heiress  of  their  fortune  ? 

Let  the  man  of  wealth  say,'  whether  he 
would  be  willing  to  receive  the  convict  as 
the  dancing  or  music  master  for  his  sons  or 
his  daughters  ?  Let  him  say,  even,  whether 
he  would  receive  him  as  his  cook  or  his 
coachman,  however  well  he  may  have 
learned  these  ornamental  or  useful  arts  in 
the  State  prison? 

>  Let  the  lawyer,  the  divine,  or  the  physi¬ 
cian,  say,  whether  accomplished  lecturers  in 
the  learned  professions  ought  to  be  procured 
for  the  prison,  to  supply  the  world  from 
such  a  seminary  with  the  men  who  are  to 
watch  over  the  rights  and  property  of  men — 
to  enlighten  the  morals,  and  prepare  their 
souls  for  a  better  world— or  who  are  to  re¬ 
move  the  physical  maladies  of  our  nature  ? 

Let  the  merchant  say,  whether  the  con¬ 
victs  should  be  taught  book-keeping,  and 
the  various  other  branches  which  are  to  fit 
them  for  the  counting  room  or  the  counter, 
to  be  sent  back  for  employment  to  the  mer¬ 
cantile  community ;  whether  he  would  like 
to  trust  his  keys,  his  books,  or  his  goods,  to 
such  men  ;  whether  he  would  consider  the 
educated  convict  as  a  suitable  companion 
for  his  sons  or  his  clerks  ? 

An  affirmative  answer  to  these  questions 
would  be  revolting  to  the  moral  sense  of  the 
community.  Then  wherefore  inflict  upon 
mechanics  that  which,  when  applied  to  our¬ 
selves,  would  not  only  raise  the  sigh  of  re¬ 


gret,  but  would  arouse  our  utmost  resent-1 
ment  ?  Surely,  the  justice  of  the  community] 
cannot  be  appealed  to  in  vain. 

The  universal  consent  of  mankind  hi 
long  conceded  to  the  mechanics  and  farmer) 
that  c  they  are  the  bone  and  sinew  of  th< 
community.’  And  it  is  no  less  true,  that  n< 
whole  class  of  the  people,  in  towns  and  vil 
lages,  combine  a  greater  share  of  intellil 
gence,  morality  and  patriotism,  than  the  me] 
chanics;  probably  by  no  means  an  equaj 
share.  And  if  the  wealthy  and  the  learnej 
are  not  to  be  thrown  in  contact  with  th| 
criminal  from  the  State  prison,  why,  by  whi 
rule  or  right,  should  the  mechanic  ? 

The  first  and  more  obvious  evil  is,  that  th< 
labor  of  the  convicted  villain  and  lawless  im 
rauder  is  put  in  competition  with  that  of  th< 
regular  and  honest  mechanic.  The  convict 
only  to  be  supported  by — barely  to  subsh 
upon — his  labor ;  and  if  he  does  not  < 
earn  a  subsistence,  the  public  makes  it  upj 
while  the  mechanic  with  his  family,  who  hi 
an  honest  right,  not  only  to  a  livelihood  fol 
himself  and  them,  but  to  save  from  his  earn] 
ings  the  means  of  education  for  his  childrei 
and  comfort  for  himself  in  old  age,  is  coml 
pelled  to  compete  with  this  system,  whicl 
rewards  crime  by  learning  the  criminal 
good  trade,  or  give  himself  yp  to  hopeles 
indolence  and  consequent  degradation.  T1 
species  of  competition  has  been  compai 
sometimes  with  that  between  free  and  sk 
labor,  which  is  said  to  be  very  unequal, 
which  is  far  more  advantageous  to  the  fil 
than  this  competition  to  the  mechanic, 
the  slave  is  to  be  supported  both  in  helples 
infancy  and  declining  age ;  whereas,  till 
convict  usually  both  commences  and  en< 
his  labor  as  an  apprentice  or  journeymi 
to  the  State,  in  the  prime  and  vigor  of  mal 
hood. 

The  next,  the  more  dangerous  and 
grading  evil  of  the  system' — more  dangeroi 
for  being  more  secret  and  insidious — is,  tin 
when  these  well-instructed  mechanic  con 
victs  are  released  from  their  service  to  tlf 
State,  they  are  enabled  to  seek  employmet 
in  the  work-shops  of  the  regular  mechanh 
and  there  taint  the  morals  of  those  who 
training  for  honorable  and  useful  life, 
cover  the  most  enormous  offences  with  an  id 
dustrious  application  to  business,  and  seei 
ing  honesty  of  deportment.  The  people  oj 
Brooklyn  have  witnessed  a  near,  if  not  ail 
exact  parallel  to  the  latter  case,  in  the  coursj 
of  the  notorious  Smith,  who  afterwards  rob* 
bed  the  City  Bank  of  New-York. 

Will  not  every  class  of  men  arise  uponi 
this  subject,  and  aid  the  mechanic  in  his  en¬ 
deavors  to  obtain  redress  ?  Let  it  not  b« 
said  that  the  mechanics  are  left  to  contenc 


7 


Proceedings  of  the  State  Convention  of  Mechanics  held  at  Utica. 


< 

for  justice  upon  this  subject  alone,  but  let  the 
spontaneous  voice  of  the  whole  community 
call  for  the  requisite  reformation.  Let  all 
act  upon  the  glorious  rule,  that  ‘  as  we 
would  others  should  do  unto  us,  even  so  will 
we  do  unto  them.’  ” 

L  We  call  on  every  citizen  of  the  State, 
whether  mechanic,  agriculturist,  professional 
B— or  be  his  situation  or  occupation  what  it 
Biay, — to  come  forward  and  assist  us  in  the 
■^higgle  for  the  destruction  of  the  detestable 
■iMPnopoly  of  which  we  complain.  We  ask, 

not  a  community  of  hardy  and  virtuous 
citizens  preferable,  to  the  State,  to  one  of  con¬ 
victs  and  paupers?  We  are  sensible  you 
will  answer  in  the  affirmative  ;  and  we  there¬ 
fore  confidently  appeal  to  you  to  adopt  and 
support  the  following  resolutions  : 

Resolved,  That  the  system  pursued  at 
present  in  our  prisons  is  an  infringement  of 
the  rights,  and  an  insult  to  the  feelings,  of 
the  mechanics  of  our  State  ;  that  their  rights 
are  trampled  on,  and  their  character  de¬ 
graded,  by  competition  with  this  infamous 
monopoly  of  convicts  and  malefactors. 

Resolved,  That  this  system  of  oppression 
is  of  such  a  nature  as  ought  not  quietly  to 
be  borne  by  any  set  of  people  worthy  the 
name  of  freemen. 

Resolved,  That  the  object  of  all  just  go¬ 
vernment  and  righteous  laws  should  be  the 
protection  of  the  virtuous  in  their  lawful  oc¬ 
cupations,  and  to  punish,  and  endeavor  to 
reform,  the  vices  of  the  guilty. 

Resolved,  That  the  present  prison  system 
operates  as  a  punishment  to  the  virtuous,  as 
a  premium  for  crime,  and  a  reward  to  the 
guilty. 

Resolved,  That  we  recommend  to  all  our 
brother  mechanics,  of  every  trade,  that,  at 
the  coming  and  all  future  elections  of  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  Legislature,  they  vote  for  and 
support  those  and  those  only  who  will  op- 
pose  this  monopoly ;  that  to  such  we  will 
give  our  whole  influence,  and  that  we  will 
use  all  honorable  means  to  promote  their 
election. 

Resolved,  That  the  mechanics  in  every 
city,  town,  village  and  hamlet,  in  our  State, 
be  requested  to  form  themselves  into  asso¬ 
ciations,  in  support  of  the  above  views,  and 
in  opposition  to  the  present  prison  system. 

Resolved,  That  we  will  pursue  this  sub¬ 
ject  with  unabated  zeaf  and  untiring  perse¬ 
verance,  till  justice  be  accorded  to  our 
claims  ;  and  we  recommend  that  a  Conven¬ 
tion  be  annually  appointed,  to  meet  at  Utica 
on  the  third  Wednesday  of  August  in  each 
year,  until  we  obtain  redress :  the  delegates 
to  be  chosen  from  every  county  in  the  State, 
in  a  ratio  of  triple  the  number  of  members  to 
the  Assembly  of  the  State, 


NAMES  OF  DELEGATES,  fee. 

NEW-YORK. 

Anson  Baker,  Silver  Plater. 

Joseph  N.  Barnes,  Marble  Cutter. 

Joseph  P.  Simpson,  Tin  Plate  Maker. 

Paulus  Hedl,  Blacksmith. 

Robert  Taylor,  Cooper. 

William  Hall,  Piano  Forte  Maker. 

Austin  Baldwin,  Plane  Maker. 

John  Waydell,  Cooper. 

Jacob  Day,  Lock  Smith. 

Cornelius  S.  Van  Winkle,  Printer. 

Alexander  Masterton,  Stone  Cutter. 

John  Anderson,  Stone  Cutter. 

Edward  Smylie,  Brass  Founder. 

Daniel  C.  Pentz,  Cooper. 

Thomas  Simms,  Hatter. 

Daniel  Berrien,  Brush  Maker. 

Joseph  Oatwell,  Marble  Cutter. 

D.  K.  Minor,  Printer  and  Publisher. 

Stephen  Kingsland,  Builder. 

William  Eagleson,  Marble  Cutter. 

KINGS  COUNTY. 

David  Anderson,  Brooklyn,  Stone  Cutter. 
William  McDonald,  do.  Cooper. 

Daniel  S.  Burdett,  do.  Comb  Maker. 

Samuel  S.  Powell,  do.  Tailor. 

RENSSELAER  COUNTY. 

E.  J.  Willet,  Lansingburgh,  Cordwainer. 
Lyman  Garfield,  Troy,  Cordwainer. 

Arthur  Millikin,  do.  Blacksmith. 

Elias  Ross,  do.  Silver  Plate  Maker. 

Uri  Gilbert,  do.  Coach  Maker. 

Harvey  Warner,  do.  Builder. 

Richard  Freeman,  do.  Mason. 

ALBANY  COUNTY. 

John  Meads,  Albany,  Cabinet  Maker. 
Alexander  Gray,  do.  Stone  Cutter. 

William  Hawe,  do.  Cooper. 

Wynant  Crannell,  do.  Tailor. 

Jeremiah  Osborn,  dc.  Cordwainer. 

Lemuel  L.  Steele,  do.  Brush  Maker. 

Lewis  Farnham,  do.  Carpenter. 

Corns.  Vanderbelt,  do.  Coach  Maker.  * 

John  Iggott,  do.  Tin  Plate  Worker.} 

David  Benson,  do.  Plane  Maker. 

Saratoga  county. 

Robt.  M.  Harrington,  Saddle  &  Harness  Maker. 
Nathan  D.  Sherwood,  Hatter. 

TIOGA  COUNTY. 

Francis  Collingwood,  Elmira,  Silversmith. 
William  R.  Judson,  do.  Saddler. 

S.  J.  Leach,  Owego,  Watch  Maker. 

Gideon  O.  Chace,  do.  Cabinet  Maker. 

SCHENECTADY  COUNTY. 

Richard  M.  Cook,  Schenectady,  Tailor. 
Stephen  Traux,  do.  Cordwainer. 

John  O.  Comstock,  do.  Hatter. 

Joseph  Stillman,  do.  Machinist. 


ONEIDA  COUNTY. 

Alfd.  Munson,  Utica,  Burr  Stone  Manufacturer. 
Ephraim  Hart,  do.  Iron  Founder. 


Rudolph  Snyder,  do. 
John  Reed,  do. 

Augustus  Hurlburt,  do. 
Elisha  Wells,  do. 

Edmund  W.  Blake,  do. 
Joshua  Hardway,  do. 


Cabinet  Maker. 
Plane  Maker. 
Chair  Maker. 
Cordwainer. 
Tailor.  | 
Saddler.  " 


Proceedings  of  the  State  Convention  of  Mechanics  held  at  Utica. 


George  Tharp,  do.  Silver  Plater. 

Elijah  W. Roundey,  do.  Cooper. 

Samuel  A.  Sibley,  do.  Coppersmith. 

John  S.  Peckham,  do.  Plough  Maker. 

Harry  Bushnell,  do.  Blacksmith. 

John  A.  Russ,  do.  Carpenter. 

Isaac  G.  Stratton,  N.  Hartford,  Cabinet  Maker. 
Harvey  Bingham,  do.  Waggon  Maker. 
Arden  Seymour,  Rome,  Potter. 

Nathan  Lawton,  do.  Coach  Maker. 

Thomas  Williams, Vernon, Tanner  and  Currier. 


ONONDAGA  COUNTY. 

J.  W.  Page,  Elbridge,  Cabinet  &  Chair  Maker. 
Chas.  Rust,  Syracuse,  Cabinet  &  Chair  Maker. 
Silas  Ames,  do.  Saddler. 

J.  J.  Wood,  do.  Tailor. 

J.  J.  Bradley,  do.  Blacksmith. 

Warren  Hecox,  Skeneatelas,  Tanner  and  Cord- 
wainer. 

John  S.  Coonley,  Jamesville,  Carpenter. 


CAYUGA  COUNTY. 

John  Richardson,  Auburn,  Cabinet  Maker. 


Solomon  C.  Dunning,  do. 
Harvey  Moore,  do. 

Daniel  Hewson,  do. 

James  Snell,  do. 

David  B.  Marvin,  do. 

J.  Litchworth,  do. 


Tailor. 

Tailor.  !! 

Tin  Plate  Worker. 
Tailor. 

Cordwainer. 

Saddler. 


ONTARIO  COUNTY. 

Earl  D.  King,  Canandaigua,  Cabinet  Maker. 
R.  Hogarth,  Geneva,  Tailor. 


TOMPKINS  COUNTY. 

Ths.Thompson,  Trumansburg,  Cabinet  Maker. 
Ira  Tillotson,  Ithaca,  Builder. 

Edward  Mead,  do.  Watch  Maker. 

Caleb  P.  Plumb,  do.  Cordwainer. 

Almanzer  Tufts,  do.  Tailor. 

WAYNE  COUNTY. 

Farnham  White,  Lyons,  Chair  Maker. 

Erastus  Burt,  Newark,  Iron  Founder. 


MONRUE  COUNTY. 

W.  E.  Lathrop,  Rochester,  Saddler. 
Frederick  Scarr,  do.  Cabinet  Maker. 

Bill  Colby,  do.  Chair  Maker. 

YATES  COUNTY. 

Samuel  F.  Curtis,  Penn  Yan,  Chair  Maker. 
Lewis  S.  Ayres,  do.  Hatter. 

ERIE  COUNTY. 

Abner  Cutler,  Buffalo,  Cabinet  Maker. 


>  "The  following  letter  from  the  absent  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  Buffalo  Delegation  is  so  much  in 
accordance  with  the  views  expressed  by  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  Convention  from  other  parts  of  the 
State,  who  were  also  prevented  from  attending, 
that  it  is  deemed  proper  to  publish  it  by  way  of 
showing  that  similar  sentiments  are  entertain¬ 
ed  in  every  section  of  the  State,  even  where 
there  has  been  no  interchange  of  opinion. 

Buffalo,  August  18,  1834. 
f  Sir, — At  a  numerous  meeting  of  the  Mecha¬ 
nics  of  this  city,  held  on  the  8th  instant,  the 
undersigned  were  appointed  delegates  to  attend 
the  Convention  to  be  holden  at  Utica,  on  the 
20th;  but  owing  to  circumstances  unforeseen, 
and  entirely  beyond  their  control,  the  delegates, 
with  one  or  two  exceptions,  are  unable  to  at¬ 


tend.  The  cholera,  which,  within  a  few  days 
has  assumed  an  alarming  character,  is  raging 
with  a  degree  of  mortality  greater  than  at  any 
former  period,  calling  for  the  kind  sympathies 
and  active  exertions  of  our  citizens,  in  reliev¬ 
ing  the  wants,  and  in  administering  to  the  ne¬ 
cessities  of  the  distressed  and  the  dying.  No 
ordinary  circumstances  would  have  prevented 
any  member  of  the  delegation  from  attending  . 

The  mechanics  of  this  city  feel  a  deep  intel 
rest  in  the  subject  of  our  present  State  Prisoj 
system ;  they  consider  it  wrong  in  principm 
and  ruinous  in  its  results.  They  conceive  tW 1 
it  does  not,  in  fact,  accomplish  what  has  beH 
claimed  for  it  by  its  advocates,  much  less  what 
was  designed  by  its  founders. 

Instead  of  supporting  itself,  and  bringing  a/ 
revenue  to  the  State,  it  in  effect  levies  a  most 
enormous  and  oppressive  tax  upon  mechanics 
only,  while  it  exempts  all  other  classes  of  citi¬ 
zens.  Instead  of  reforming  criminals  and  re¬ 
turning  them  to  society,  fit  associates  for  our 
families,  it  make's  them  greater  adepts  in  vil¬ 
lainy,  and  better  qualified  to  impose  upon  the 
honest  and  unsuspecting.  It,  in  fact,  makes 
the  accomplished  scoundrels  licensed  to  go 
forth  and  depredate  upon  community,  destined 
in  ninety-eight  cases  out  of  one  hundred*  to 
again  become  tenants  of  the  same,  or  some 
other  prison. 

These  are  not  all  the  evils  of  the  system  ;  it 
has  a  direct  tendency  to  depress  the  value  of 
labor,  and  to  bring  it  into  disrepute,  to  the  in¬ 
jury  of  the  many,  for  the  benefit  of  the  few. 

If  the  moral  sense  of  community  will  tolerate 
the  system  as  now  conducted,  a  little  more  re¬ 
finement  of  philanthropy  may  abolish  our  pri¬ 
son  work-shops,  and  convert  them  into  semi¬ 
naries  of  learning,  into  law  schools,  medical 
colleges,  and  theological  institutions,  for  the 
benefit  of  gentlemen  convicts. 

In  view  of  all  the  facts  we  have  been  able  to 
collect  on  this  subject,  we  are  decidedly  of  opin¬ 
ion  that  the  whole  system  is  defective ; 

That  it  is  a  most  oppressire  tax  upon  the 
mechanics  of«  the  State  ; 

That  it  is  destructive  of  the  morals  of  society  ; 

That  it  has  no  tendency  whatever  to  reform 
criminals  ; 

That  it  is  a  disgrace  and  stigma  upon  the 
mechanics  of  this  State,  and  opposed  to  the  spiri 
of  our  institutions  ;  and  we  believe  the  subject 
only  needs  rightly  to  be  understood  by  the  in¬ 
telligent  people  of  this  State,  to  meet  their  de¬ 
cided  disapprobation  and  rebuke. 

With  a  view  of  this  object,  we  pledge  our¬ 
selves  to  co-operate  with  our  brother  mechanics 
throughout  the  State,  in  taking  such  measures 
as  shall  be  recommended  by  the  Convention  ; 
and  we  will  most ‘cheerfully  perform  any  duty 
assigned  to  us,  or  either  of  us,  in  furtherance 
of  the  general  object.  *  E.  D.  Efner, 

John  W.  Beals, 
Wm.  Ketchum, 

A.  W.  W ilg vs. 

Absent  Members  of  Buffalo  Delegation. 
To  the  President  of  the  Mechanics’  Convention,  Utica. 


*  See  answer  of  the  Hon.  Richard  Riker,  to  questions  of 
the  Select  Committee, Jmade  1834. 


i 


NOTICES,  CONTINUED. 

We  have  watched  the  course  of  this  publication  with 
some  solicitude  ;  for  we  felt  convinced  that  the  field  was 
*o  wide,  which  the  work,  to  be  advantageous,  should  occu¬ 
py,  that  it  would  need  more  than  ordinary  good  common 
sense,  tact,  ingenuity,  and  industry,  in  its  conductor,  to  fill 
up  the  cha.'in  which  the  absence  of  a  work  of  this  nature, 
purely,  had  lett  in  this  mechanical  country.  Enthusiastic 
bigots,  the  cells  of  whose  brains  were  filled  with  cob -webs, 
have  been  looking  for  the  philosopher’s  stone  from  their 
own  preparations  in  earthen  crucibles.  Enveloped  in  mist, 
Iheir  spectacles  never  allowed  them  to  discover  that  the 
true  stone  was  the  type  and  press  of  g  printing  office  in 
the  hands  of  a  sensible  tactician,  who  delves  among  the 
recious  lore  which  the  varied  mind  of  man  is  c&ntinually 
isplaying  to  his  gaze,  plucking  the  heart  out  of  every  book, 
eucking  the  sweets  from  every  fugitive  sheet,  and,  forming 
from  the  varied  mass  an  intellectual  trea1 ,  which,  if  it  does 
not  gratify  the  taste  of  Croesus,  would  command  the  atten¬ 
tion  of  Solomon,  Archimedes,  and  Newton. 

We  say  unhesitatingly  that  the  New- York  Mechanics’ 
Magazine  has  greatly  improved  in  matter  and  appearance, 
since  this  year  commenced.  The  number  now  before  us 
would  sufficiently  bear  us  out  in  ail  we  might  say  as  to  t!>e 
discrimination,  industry,  and  intelligence  of  Mr.  Knight, 
its  editor. — Old  Countryman. 

We  have  several  times  given  our  exalted  opinion  of  this 
monthly  periodical,  and  have  done  so  in  great  sincerity, 
with  an  ardent  desire  that  our  friends  might  avail  them¬ 
selves  of  its  usefulness  by  becoming  subscribers.  There 
is  that  intrinsic  merit  in  the  work  itself  which  sufficiently 
justifies  all  that  can  be  said  of  it,  as  containing  a  collection 
of  the  most  useful  and  practical  information  on  every  sub¬ 
ject  interesting  to  the  industrious  man,  be  he  of  whatever 
denomination  he  may. — Mercantile  Advocate. 

It  is  a  valuable  compend  of  that  species  of  information 
which  we  should  suppose  the  enterprise  and  inventive 
genius  of  our  countrymen  require,  giving  as  it  does,  in  a 
concise  and  familiar  shape,  an  account  of  what  0‘hers  are 
doing  and  have  discovered  or  invented,  inciting  to  emula¬ 
tion,  and  at  the  same  time  furnishing  useful  hints  for  the 
prosecution  of  researches  already  begun,  if  not  for  further 
discoveries  and  inventions,  calculated  to  extend  the  bounds 
of  human  knowledge. — Onondaga  Standard. 

We  bear  testimony  to  the  editor’s  ability  to  render  the 
ublication  interesting  and  instructive.  The  Mechanics’ 
Iagazine  is'  emphatically  what  its  title  imports  ;  and,  al¬ 
though  intended  more  particularly  for  the  American  prac¬ 
tical  machanic,  will  be  found  a  valuable  acquisition  to  the 
library  of  the  man  of  science,  as  well  as  the  general  read¬ 
er. — Delaware  Journal. 

It  is  ably  conducted,  contains  a  large  mass  of  the  most 
useful  and  interesting  matter,  is  neatly  executed,  and  upon 
the  whole  is  better  calctflatcd  to  diffuse  useful  and  valuable 
information  in  relation  to  the  various  subjects  of  which  it 
treats,  than  any  publication  with  which  we  are  acquainted, 
and  this,  too,  so  cheaply,  that  none  can  complain  of  the 
price. —  Washington  Republican. 

A  glance  over  its  pages  will  convince  any  person  of  the 
great  utility  of  such  a  work.  Its  contents  are  varied — al¬ 
most  every  subject  in  the  range  of  mechanism  is  touched 
upon — and  its  reduced  price,  three  dollars  per  annum,  places 
a  system  of  modern  architecture  within  the  reach  of  near¬ 
ly  every  person. — Hillsborough  Gazette. 

We  are  assured  by  a  scientific  gentleman,  that  this  work  ; 
is  conducted  in  an  able  manner  ;  that  its  pages  are  replete 
with  information ;  and  that  it  should  be  generally  read  by 
those  for  whose  benefit  it  is  more  particularly  intended — 
the  mechanics. — Middlesex  Gazette. 

The  October  number  of  this  valuable  work  is  before  us. 
The  design  is  truly  laudable ;  the  public  good  requires  its 
circulation,  and]its  execution  is  exceeding  good.  Mechan¬ 
ics  of  Morris  county  and  Morristown,  are  you  not  pre¬ 
pared  to  sustain  a  work  of  this  character  ? — Jerseyman. 

Almost  every  practical  mechanic  may  find  in  it  much 
that  will  be  serviceable  to  him  in  his  business,  or  help  to 
enrich  his  mind  and  enlarge  his  views. — Lancaster  Exa¬ 
miner. 

We  do  not  hesitate  to  pronounce  the  Magazine  such  a 
work  as  no  mechanic  or  artizan  should  be  without.  It  is 
under  the  editorial  charge  of  John  Knight,  late  publisher  of 
the  Ixmdon  Mechanics’  Magazine.  The  July  number, 
now  before  contains  a  variety  of  matter  useful  to  the 


man  of  science  as  well  as  to  the  mechanic,  (to  which  latter 
class  the  work  is  particularly  recommended,)  both  from 
the  interesting  nature  of  the  subjects  to  which  it  is  devoted, 
and  the  clear  and  able  manner  in  which  they  are  treated. 
— Petersburg  Intelligencer. 

This  Magazine  evidently  increases  in  value  and  interest 
as  it  advances  in  age.  We  trust  it  meets  with  correspond¬ 
ing  support  from  the  ingenious,  scientific,  and  industrious 
artizans  of  our  country. — Nantucket  Inquirer. 

Our  favorable  opinion  of  this  publication  has  been  al¬ 
ready  so  fully  and  so  frequently  expressed  as  to  leave  but 
little  to  add.  It  is  a  work  which  every  scientific  man,  and 
every  mechanic,  ought  to  possess. — Union ■,  Salem,  N.  J. 

We  are  surprised  that  every  mechanic  in  the  land  does 
not  avail  himself  of  this  invaluable  periodical.  The  sub¬ 
scription  price  is  only  three  dollars  per  annum,  for  which 
sum  two  volumes,  of  about  400  pages  each,  can  be  ob¬ 
tained*  containing  more  valuable  information  than  can  ba 
otherwise  obtained  for  triple  the  sum. —  Western  Argus. 

We  have  received  the  November  number  of  this  valua¬ 
ble  publication,  and  again  call  the  attention  of  the  operative 
classes  to  it.  If  our  young  mechanics,  in  particular,  would 
lay  out  their  spare  money  for  works  Of  this  character,  in¬ 
stead  of  the  Ailsome  trash,  denominated  light  literature, 
with  which  the  press  is  so  prolific,  they  would  become 
possessed  of  a  fund  of  useful  and  entertaining  knowledge. 
— Schenectady  Cabinet. 

We  have  shown  several  of  the  numbers  to  some  of  our 
most,  eminent  mechanics,  and  have  their  unqualified  sano- 
tion  in  saying  that  they  are  worthy  the  perusal  and  study 
of  every  mechanic  who  wishes  to  rise  in  his  profession 
They  are  got  up  in  a  very  superior  style. — Montreal  Her¬ 
ald. 

To  the  mechanic,  especially,  is  this  work  of  great  in¬ 
terest  and  usefulness  ;  and  no  one  of  this  numerous  and 
respectable  class  of  community  should  fail  to  encourage 
publications  calculated  to  improve  them  in  practical  and 
theoretical  knowledge  upon  scientific  principles.  The 
spirit  of  inquiry,  investigation,  and  experiment  in  the  me¬ 
chanic  arts,  which  characterize  the  age,  and  promise  so 
much  benefit  to  our  widely  extended  and  prosperous 
country,  cannot  fail  to  derive  much  aid  from  so  well  con¬ 
ducted  a  publication  as  the  Magazine. — Watertown  Herald. 

Its  contents  continue  to  be  selected  with  discrimination 
and  judgment,  and  comprise  a  large  body  of  exceedingly 
useful,  _and,  in  many  cases,  exceedingly  agreeable  informa¬ 
tion.  For  the  class  of  persons  for  whose  benefit  it  is  prin¬ 
cipally  designed  it  is  uncommonly  well  adapted,  and  it  is 
put  within  their  reach,  too,  by  the  lowness  of  the  price  at 
which  it  is  published. — N.  Y.  Evening  Post. 

It  only  requires  to  be  seen  and  read  by  our  enterprising 
and  scientific  mechanics  totbe  duly  appreciated  and  patron¬ 
ized. — Middlesex  Gazette. 

We  are  persuaded  uhat  the  merits  of  the  work  are  not 
sufficiently  known  ;  and  yet  there  is  no  periodical  in  the 
country  which  has  been  more  unequivocally  commended 
by  competent  judges  than  this. — Newark  Advertiser. 

From  an  examination  of  its  contents,  we  should  suppose 
that  it  is  just  such  a  work  as  would  be  eagerly  sought  for 
by  the  mechanics  and  artisans  of  our  industrious  commu¬ 
nity. — Pittsburg  Gazette. 

The  Mechanics’  Magazine  merits  the  attention  and  sup¬ 
port  of  every  practical  artisan.  All  trades  will  profit  by 
the  encouragement  of  such  a  journal. — Philadelphia  Ga¬ 
zette.  — 

'This  is  a  very  cheap  and  useful  compendium  of  the  sci¬ 
ences,  chiefly  relating  to  mechanism,  and  should  find  its 
way  into  the  hands  of  every  artisan.  The  publication  is 
well  got  up,  and  ornamented  by  several  excellent  wood 
cuts. — N.  Y.  Albion. 

We  can  have  no  earthly  object  but  the  diffusion  of 
valuable  information,  in  recommending  this  work  to  the 
public  patronage.  It  is  decidedly  a  most  valuable  work, 
and  ought  to  be  in  the  possession  of  every  mechanic. — 
Waterjord  Allas. 

We  hesitate  not  to  recommend  it  to  that  portion  of  our 
citizens  who  take  pleasure  in  tracing  the  various  and  con¬ 
tinual  improvements  in  the  mechanical  arts,  and  particu¬ 
larly  to  the  young  class  of  operative  mechanics,  who  will 
find  mtfch  in  this  periodical  to  assist  them  in  acquiring  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  various  arte  in_which  they  are 
engaged. — Pulaski  Banner 


STATE  PRISON  LABOR* 

In  “  America,”  the  asylum  of  the  op¬ 
pressed  of  all  countries,  the  nation  that  has 
dared  to  deckire  itself  “  free  and  independ¬ 
ent  ”  of  the  whole  world,  where  equal  rights 
are  advocated,  and  those  who  gain  an  ho¬ 
nest  livelihood  by  their  industry  are  as  much 
respected  as  the  man  of  the  greatest  wealth, 
it  is  a  most  extraordinary  fact,  that  the  sys¬ 
tem  of  our  criminal  jurisprudence  has  been 
for  many  years,  and  still  is  calculated,  to 
make  many  an  honest  and  well-meaning  me¬ 
chanic  feel  shame  and  disgust  in  conse¬ 
quence  of  the  society  with  which  he  has 
been  unconsciously  brought  into  competi¬ 
tion  and  association — associated  with  felons  ! 
with  men  who  have  committed  some  of  the 
greatest  outrages  on  society,  and  who  have 
been  nominally  "punished ,  but  who,  in  fact, 
derive  more  advantage  to  themselves  from 
that  nominal  punishment,  than  they  ever 
gained  before'  in  the  same  space  of  time. 
They  are  taught  trades  of  various  descrip¬ 
tions,  they  are  well  fed, — and  many  cases 
are  known  where  the  criminal  has  entered 
the  prison  in  a  weak  and  debilitated  state, 
and  left  it,  in  consequence  of  the  excellent 
medical  aid  there  afforded,  ih  good  health, 
and  apparently  possessing  a  robust  consti¬ 
tution,  only  to  mingle  with  our  mechanics ; 
and  many  instances  could  be  stated  where 
they  have  been  placed  in  a  situation  to  be 
the  guide  and  overseer  of  the  apprentices, 
and  even  of  the  children  of  mechanics. 

It  is  high  time  that  such  a  state  of  things 
should  cease  to  exist,  and  a  system  adopted 
which  shall  protect  honest  industry  from  a 
competition  with  the  labor  of  felons,  whe¬ 
ther  carried  on  for  the  benefit  of  the  State, 
or  individual  contractors ;  and  we  feel  con¬ 
fident  that  it  is  only  necessary  for  the  me¬ 
chanics  in  every  section  of  the  Union,  to 
second  the  exertions  of  the  Utica  Convention, 
and  it  will  be  done,  and  that  speedily.  We 
have  official  documents  that  will  make  it 
clear  that  the  present  system  of  punishment 
has  not  that  salutary  effect  upon  those  who 
have  been  convicted  which  many  have  sup¬ 
posed  ;  and  can  state  several  instances  where 
men  have  been  inmates  of  the  same  or  other 
prisons,  three,  four,  and  five  times ;  this  wre 
shall  do  in  our  next  weekly  number  of  the 
Mechanics’  Magazine,  a  work  which,  al¬ 
though  only  known  comparatively  to  a  few, 
has  been  patronized  far  beyond  any  work  of 
a  similar  nature  ever  issued  from  the  press 
in  this  country,  and  which  will  ever  be  found 
advocating  the  interests  of  the  working  men , 
and  its  columns  always  open  for  their  com¬ 
munications  on  any  subject  {except  politics). 
We  shall  be  gratified  to  be  made  the  medi¬ 
um  of  communication  between  mechanics 


in  different  parts  of  the  Union,  and  pledge 
them  that  we  are  devoted  to  their  best 
interests ;  and  shall  do  all  that  men  with  our 
limited  means  can  do,  to  disseminate  such:jv; 
information  as  will  elevate  the  character,  and;E 
improve  the  condition,  of  the  mechanics  of 


the  United  States ;  and  to  one  measure  es- 


pecially  do  we  stand  pledged — never  to  aban- 
don  the  cause  until  we  see  the  present  odious 
State  Prison  Monopoly  don’e  away,  and  the  '  v 
mechanics  admitted  to  a  full  participation,  in 
proportion  to  their  numbers  and  intelligence,:::  ! 
of  the  duties,  stations,  honors,  and  emolu-  f 
ments,  of  the  country. — [Ed.  M.  M.] 


T  MECHANICS’  MAGAZINE. 

HE  third  Volume  is  now  ready.  It  consists  of  331  page 
of  letter  press,  and  is  illustrated  by  nearly  150  engravings  on 
wood,  spiritedly  executed,  and  a  full  length  portrait  of  L* 
fayette,  on  copper,  as  a  frontispiece. 

The  following  are  a  fSw  only  of  the  numerous  notices  taken 
of  the  Magazinp.  by  gentlemen  connected  with  the  press  in 
different  sections  of  the  country 
A  rapid  glance  at  its  contents  discovers  that  it  contains  th«' 
same  judicious  preparation  ol  materials  that  has  hitherto  dis¬ 
tinguished  the  publication.  There  are  a  number  of  article*, 
essentially  valuable  from  the  solid  information  embodied  in 
them,  and  others,  again,  that  will  recommend  themselves  at 
once  to  the  less  severe  reader,  who  always  looks  lor  some  en¬ 
tertainment  to  be  mingled  with  instruction. — [N.  York  Ameri¬ 
can.]  .  £ 

The  theoretical  and  practical  Mechanic  will  find  a  mine  of 
useful  iniormation  in  these  pages.  —[Mercantile  &  Advocate, 
N.Y.] 

This  periodical  really  deserves  credit  for  the  ability  and  at- 


:  M 


tention  with  which  it  keeps  pace  with  the  mechanical  improve¬ 
ments  of  the  age.  It  is,  wese6,  edited  by  Mr.  Knight,  late  of 
the  London  Mechanics’  Magazine,  a  work  which  did  more  to 
elevate  the  slate  of  knowledge  among  the  woiking  classes,  than  ; 
any  other  in  England.— [Commercial  Advertiser.] 

It  is  stored  with  representations  and  descriptions  of  improve¬ 
ments  in  machinery,  and  of  newly  invented  articles,  together 
with  information  valuable  to  every  class  of  citizens. — [U.  S. 
Gazette,  Philad.] 

It  contains  information  on  almost  every  subject  connected! 
with  mechanics,  rind  a  register  of  inventions  and  improve¬ 
ments.— [Montreal  Gazette.] 

It  is  a  work  well  worthy  the  attention  of  every  mechanic 
and  one  which  affords  to  genius  a  chance  of  exhibiting  talents. 
—[New  Orleans  Merc.  Adv.] 

This  is  a  publtcation  of  practical  value  and  of  deserved  pop¬ 
ularity.—  [Aluany  Argus.] 

The  work  needs  only  to  become,  known  to  insure  it  a  very  j 
extensive  circulation.  It  certainly  cannot  fail  to  be  highly  in  ] 
teresling  and  useful  to  the  numerous  class  of  persons  for  whom  j 
it  is  particular  designed.— [Paterson  Intelligencer.  | 

There  is  no  periodical  in  this  country  which  more  deserves  j 
the  patronage  of  the  mechanic  than  this,  and  which  will  better  i 
repay  him  for  the  expense  incurred  and  the  time  spent  in  its! 
perusal.— [Elmyra  Gazette.  | 

It  forma  a  trulv  valuable  repository,  alike  suitable  to  the  1 
drawing  room  and  to  the  cottage.— [Watertown  Register.] 

Every  mechanic  who  wishes  to  keep  pace  with  the  improve¬ 
ment  of  the  age— to  avail  himself  of  the  aid  which  science  ia 
constantly  bringing  to  art,  should  subscribe  for  the  Mechanics’ 
Magazine.— [Washington  Spy.] 

We  wish  we  could  persuade  our  young  operatives— upon 
whose  intelligence  and  virtue  so  much  depends — to  substitu 
the  substantial  fare  which  this  work  afiords,  for  the  trash  j 
which  mafiy  of  them  are  too  eager  to  devour.— [N.  J.  Jour¬ 
nal.] 

Having  perused  the  first  volume  of  your  journal  with  much 
satisfaction,  and  1  trust  some  profit,  I  deem  it  my  duty  as  an  old 
mechanic,  to  tender  you  my  acknowledgments.  *  *  *  * 

In  my  opinion,  it  ought  to  be  owned  by  evety  mechanic,  artifi¬ 
cer  and  manufacturer  of  our  country ;  and  especially  by  begin¬ 
ners,  and  made  the  study  of  all  their  leisure  hours.— [Benj’n 
Russell,  one  of  the  oldest  mechanics  in  Boston.] 


The  Mechanics'  Magazine  and  Register  of  Improvements  is 
published  by  the  Proprietors,  D.  K.  Minor  and  J.  E  Cjeuxlk:,  j 
at  No.  35  Wall  street,  New  York :  in  weekly  sheets  of  16  pages, 
at  cents— in  monthly  parrs  of  64  pages,  at  31$  cents— in  vol¬ 

umes  of  384  pages,  in  cloth  boards,  at  $1.75— or  at  $3  perannuast, 
in  advance. — John  Knmht,  (formerly  Proprietor  of  the  Londoa 
Mechanics’  Magazine,)  Editor.  JtI8  If 


